Does the T-5, when installed using the "group-buy" bellhousing, have a horizontal tranny mount, or is it angled? I'm wondering if this cross member from Classic Motorsports would be worth buying (by itself) as a starting point, rather than starting completely from scratch:



I realize this is probably overkill on a slant, but I was just thinking since I'm "fabrication-challenged", this might be a better way to go. Any thoughts?

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vm

Holy thats Ugly!

I modified the stock crossmenber and merged it with the Mustang system. Essentially I am using the exhaust hanger from the Mustang system to connect to the Valaint stuff. You can see mine is on an angle....

click to view full-version

The crossmember is the hardest part of the swap.....

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

Tell me about it. And YOU know how to weld...

Does the Rap-5 tranny you used have the same case design/shape as the T-5? I know there are some differences, but I'm not sure exactly what they are (besides the fact that it's lighter-duty).

Thanks, Sandy!

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vm

The trans mount is similar if not identical....

You could nevver get a T5 under a 3spd floor.....an RAP just fits.

I never welded any of this....I bolted everything together ......took it to the shop for a quick zap. All that is welded is the one bolt on the left side.

Lotsa grinding though.

I stuffed the crossmember full of rubber mount so the trans sits on it....

The trans bolts to the 2 big holes in the mount.....


Check the snow in the pic......

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

The BHs from the group buy have the 5 deg lean toward the driver, so the mount needs that as well.

Let me see if I can post a pic...

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

V do you have any pictures of how that upper section intersects with the floor? Is this a "no cutting" type of design? I'm curious how this does fit and trust me, our welded ones ain't exactly something lovely to look at. Like you, I can't weld yet and had to have someone else do it for me. However, we did cut it up quite a bit more than Sandy did.




There are more photos here, to be updated soon. There are few pictures of Lou's cross member I took at Spring Fling 07

What is the cost on this prefab crossmember?

This should give you all the info that I have:

Classic Motorsports 5-speed

Scrolling down to a button called "Installation Notes: 1970 Dart" gives a step-by-step install with pics. No, this is definitely a "cut" type of design. I have no idea how much they might charge for the cross member by itself, or even if they'd sell it to me that way. They DO have a good customer service reputation, and as they don't have a slant six kit, I'm hoping they'd be willing to work with me.

I DO own a welder, but I have absolutely no experience welding. My concern isn't appearance, but strength. I know, I know, with practice I could learn, but until then, I'd rather have as little welding as possible.

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vm

Someone did order this kit right a while back yes? I am very interested in how that tilton hydraulic master cylinder kit mounts up. But that's a different question and don't want to hijack your thread

MJ

Yep:

http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic ... ht=classic

I stole the idea from zed, but I'd been following their progress on the kit myself when I could.
No hijack here. I haven't settled on a clutch method, either. I just think their hydraulic upgrade is a little pricey. Maybe after I try to fab up my own, my tune will change...

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vm

Well Lou turned me on to PAW and they have it for $370 + shipping. The issue is my firewall is a little different than 63-up cars, and I am trying to avoid relocating the wire mold block. It unfortunately, its RIGHT where you need to mount the hydraulic MC.


The second pic is gmader's 65 cuda. You can see my problem =)

So I'm interested in the angle adapter setup they have on the tilton MC that would allow me to mount the hydro MC lower and away from the pivot point on the pedal, without making it heinously difficult to use.

I really would like to some real world mounting pics and experience with this kit. I also don't know if that collar setup would work and clear everything .

MJ

i do have one of their kits and according to Classic Motorsports, this was the only way to fit the TKO under the dart. you are also required to cut the trans tunnel out from the firewall to the torsion cross member. the reason for this is that the TKO/T-5 is a much larger trans than the 833. you also are required to cut the top of the cross member out to make room for the trans. the trans mount they supply is also a structural piece designed to replace the part of the cross member removed. the other piece on the cross member is so that the entire unit does not need to be removed every time the trans needs to come out.

Classic Motorsports was very helpful and supplied everything i would need to make the conversion, with the exception of the bellhousing and clutch.

zedpapa

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1970 dodge dart w/225 /6 bored .040" over, holley 390cfm w/vac. sec., compcams 252s, clifford shorty headers w/2.5" exhaust w/flowmaster, f-body 11" front discs, aluminum A-833OD, 8 1/4 w/3.21 SG
soon to have 5 gears!!!

So, Zed, are you using this kit with a slant or a small block? If a slant, what are you doing about a bellhousing?

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vm

i am going to stay with the slant.

as for a bell housing, i am going to use a three speed bell housing and have the tranny side machined down 1/2". then have a 1/2" plate of aluminum cut for the bolt pattern of the TKO. that plate will then be welded to the machined bell housing. i will then be able to use a "stock" 9.25" clutch and the stock clutch linkage. www.specclutch.com has told me that they can do whatever i will need.

the TKO input shaft is the same length as the 833 so as long as i keep the overall depth of the bell housing the same, it should work just fine.

zedpapa

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1970 dodge dart w/225 /6 bored .040" over, holley 390cfm w/vac. sec., compcams 252s, clifford shorty headers w/2.5" exhaust w/flowmaster, f-body 11" front discs, aluminum A-833OD, 8 1/4 w/3.21 SG
soon to have 5 gears!!!

HI Vynn,

I will have some write ups on this subject in the article, but would you be surprised to hear that you can weld up your own with two 3" by 36" 3/16 pieces of steel from Lowes? That the only tools you need are a welder, a couple of jacks ( one to hold the tranny in place, one to help you bend the steel where you want), a drill, and a 1/2 bit, and a chopsaw ( you can use a hacksaw, but you will be there all day).

It isn't hard. I tried three different approaches, and discovered the best way was to use the car itself as a jig, and weld it up to the car.

I will write this up more when I get a chance. building your own crossmember isn't that bad.

Greg

but hey nobody said it would be as pretty I would like to see how that upper cross member piece goes in. As I don't want to have a large protrusion in my floor, I have been hoping to make a very strong lower cross-member that might not need as much support on the upper half. That might be wishful thinking on my part.

Mj